International Films 2014

A Dress Rehearsal for an Execution

Bahaman / Doc / Canada / 60 min

From catastrophic flood in Haiti to a starving Sudanese child being stalked by a vulture, there are many breathtaking moments of man’s life captured in Pulitzer winning news photos since 1917, when the institute is established in New York City by Joseph Pulitzer. There is however one single photo in the entire history of Pulitzer prizes whose photographer remained anonymous for almost three decades. Jahangir Razmi, the photographer of a scene of an execution of eleven political prisoners in post revolution Iran, fearing his life, hides his identity for twenty seven years, while his photo possesses the dramatic life of its own around the world from the very beginning. An artist living in Montreal of Canada intends to remake the photo of Razmi after three decades of its birth through an unusual approach.

Aim High in Creation

Anna Broinowski / Doc / North Korea / 100 min

A revolutionary film about the cinematic genius of North Korea’s late Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il, with a ground breaking experiment at its heart: a propaganda film, made according to the rules of his Manifesto The Cinema and Directing.

Ai Wei Wei The Fake Case

Andreas Johnsen / Doc / USA / 2014 / 85 min

After 81 days of solitary detention world famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is put under house arrest. He suffers from sleeping disorder and memory loss, 18 cameras are monitoring his studio and home, police agents follow his every move, and heavy restrictions from the Kafkaesque Chinese authorities weigh him down. Journalists, the art world and his family all want a piece of him and on top of that he is met with a gigantic lawsuit from the Chinese government, soon to be named ‘The Fake Case’.

Big Men

Rachel Boynton / Doc / USA / 110 min

It was a surprising discovery when huge deposits of oil were found recently off the coast of Ghana. None of the major oil companies knew about hidden wealth in this area, so it seemed like a billion-dollar jackpot for small Texas company called Kosmos Energy. But this all changed when the new ruling elite began thinking about how to get a share of the profits. This unique documentary reveals how the oil trade operates in politically unstable and corrupt countries. The tragic parallel with nearby Nigeria shows that the trade in black gold benefits local big men far more than it does local residents.

Dangerous Acts

Madeleine Sackler / Doc / USA / 2013 / 76 min

This provocative and critical theatre performance would evoke reactions in democratic countries, let alone in totalitarian Belarus, constricted as it is by censorship and repression. The members of the Belarus Free Theatre, who must present their performances unofficially and in secret, experience this repression first-hand. Despite repeated threats, they are not afraid to address socially important issues such as sexual orientation, alcoholism and, of course, the political situation. Their criticism of the regime has led some of them to emigrate from Belarus, so that they can continue to fight against Europe's last dictatorship. In addition to writing blogs and initiating protests, they produce new plays.

Disorder of the Senses

Alejandro G.Salgad / Doc / Spain / 35 min

Disorder of the senses takes us on a discovery journey, crossing our five senses to show us the reality of the world of Antonio and Gerardo, two young boys with disabilities that face the French route of the St. James’ Way in bicycle. With the help of their family and friends, our main characters shows us that the real road goes much farther than Santiago de Compostela.

Forest of the Dancing Spirits

Linda Västrik / Doc / Sweden, Canada / 110 min

In the deep jungle of the Congo, untouched by civilisation, live the Aka, a tribe of pygmies. This unique documentary by Swedish filmmaker Linda Västrik, who lived among the Aka from 2005 to 2012, captures the fascinating life of this hunter-gatherer tribe. It is a life governed by magical rituals, myths and traditions just as it was centuries ago. Against the background of the personal story of couple Akaya and Kengole, whose greatest desire is to have children of their own, is a depiction of the harmony of human coexistence with the jungle, the source of all life and death. But thanks to the plans of the state forestry company, this coexistence will probably be short-lived.

Miners Shot Down

Rehad Desai / Doc / South Africa / 85 min

Renowned director Rehad Desai returned to the events of August 2012, when the Marikana mine in South Africa experienced the worst episode of bloodshed since the end of apartheid. For seven days, thousands of miners protested for a living wage. The non-violent demonstration was brought down through an intervention by state police forces, in which more than 30 miners were shot dead and many others injured. In this political thriller, the director reconstructs the sequence of events through testimonies and footage of the massacre, drawing a disturbing picture of the mechanism of power in South Africa, where corporations make profits by exploiting the poorest. One World present the film's world premiere.

The Agreement

Karen Stokkendal Poulsen / Doc / Denmark / 65 min

Danish director Karen StokkendalPoulsen peers behind the curtain of diplomatic talks between Serbia and Kosovo in the European Union. The year is 2012 and the Serbs are eager for EU membership, while Kosovo strives to gain recognition of its independence. Meanwhile the EU needs to strengthen its credibility as the supposed guardian of European stability. The atmosphere surrounding each negotiating team is tense. Every point of dispute is accompanied by heated emotions. Will the European negotiator succeed in achieving consensus? Can a well-chosen necktie help alleviate the tense atmosphere?

Viva Cuba Libre; Rap is War

Jesse Acevedo / Doc / Cuba, USA / 2013 / 60 min

Director Jesse Acevedo reveals the dark side of life on the "Island of Freedom", which is not found in the catalogues of travel agencies. Under the threat of prison, he follows the rap group Los Aldeanos, which lends its voice to all Cubans who have been unjustly persecuted, tyrannized and abused by the state. The government forbids their music; concerts are held in secret in remote parts of the country. From time to time, the rappers themselves end up in jail. But the idea of freedom spread by the musicians cannot be repressed.

The Missing Picture

RityPanh / Doc / Cambodia, France / 96 min

For many years, I have been looking for the missing picture: a photograph taken between 1975 and 1979 by the Khmer Rouge when they ruled over Cambodia. On its own, of course, an image cannot prove mass murder, but it gives us cause for thought, prompts us to meditate, to record history. I searched for it vainly in the archives, in old papers, in the country villages of Cambodia. Today I know: this image must be missing. I was not really looking for it; would it not be obscene and insignificant ? So I created it. What I give you today is neither the picture nor the search for a unique image, but the picture of a quest: the quest that cinema allows.

Boundary

Nontawat Numbenchapol / Doc / Thailand / 70 min

AIn 2010, Nontawat worked as a still photographer for a Thai film production. In that production, he met Aod, a 24-year-old workman from Sisaket province, a province that borders Cambodia, and the famous PreahVihear Temple. The art crew hired him to build the set. He told his story that before he worked here, he used to be a soldier in Naratiwat, a province in the Southern region of Thailand. He had to leave his hometown in Sisaket province and was sent off to the southern which is dangerous from the insurgency. In early 2010, Aod was ordered to disperse the 'Red Shirts' protesters in Bangkok, but he was discharged before the decisive point of the situation. Aod's life inspired Nontawat to make a new film.

By the River

Nontawat Numbenchapol / Doc / Thailand / 70 min

Amidst the tranquility of the deep woods, the habitants of Klity, in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, have always led a simple life. They have fed on the fish populating the town’s creek, but for some time now the river has been contaminated by a mineral processing factory. A young local man dives every day to catch fish for his lover, but today he has gone missing, unable to come back to her, who eagerly awaits his return.

Children of Kubu

Benny Sumarna / Doc / Indonesia / 2012 / 30 min

Padek, Bungo, Habibah and many other kids from the Kubu tribe live deep inside the rainforest of Banai, West Sumatra. They have a strong desire to learn to read and write in Indonesian as well as mathematics, even though they actually do not really understand why they should learn those things. Is it for a better life or just as a mere game between going hunting and swimming together in the river? They still don’t know what kind of change awaits them and their tribe tomorrow.

Jalanan

Daniel Ziv / Doc / Indonesia / 170 min

Jalanan tells the captivating story of Boni, Ho and Titi, three gifted charismatic street musicians in Jakarta over a tumultuous 5-year period in their own lives and that of Indonesia. The film follows the young marginalized musicians and their never- before-seen sub-culture, while also painting a striking, moody and intimate portrait of Indonesia’s frenzied capital city. Using the powerful soundtrack of the musicians’ original compositions to drive the film, it traces their elusive quest for identity and love in the day-to-day of a city overrun by the effects of globalization and corruption.

Madam Phung's Last Journey

Nguyen Thi Tham / Doc / Vietnam / 87 min

A green truck drives through the night. In the morning, a marquee-like structure is erected and, in the evening, in the half-light of small lamps, wigs begin to move up and down, the New Year songs fall silent for the sale of tombola tickets. Madame Phung and her troupe of transvestite singers travel around Viet Nam, arousing the fascination and hostility of the local authorities and inhabitants. Attentive to the sometimes clipped rhythm of fairground life and to the way in which this Small travelling community copes with the bad weather and villagers who come to annoy them after the shows, Nguyen ThiTham takes the film beyond a simple chronicle of the picturesque.

The Sunken Graves

Nizam Andan / Doc / Malaysia / 15 min

The residents of Tampasak sacrificed their village for the benefit of the people of Kota Kinabalu. Tampasak was home to indigenous people, and fulfilled their daily needs with the availability of natural resources. It had also been supplied with basic amenities by the government. Tampasak has now been flooded due to the construction of a dam. Although the villagers protested against the building of the dam, eventually they were forced to comply with the order to relocate to a new area by the State government, who promised them compensation. To this day, the sacrifice of the villagers has not been compensated by those responsible.

War is a Tender Thing

Adjani Arumpac / Doc / Philippines / 75 min

Dubbed as the second-longest running conflict in the world, the Mindanao War is retold in this documentary film as a poignant tale of seeking and keeping home. It tells the untold stories of The Land of Promise—Mindanao, Philippines. It is a curious exploration into the integration of cultures brought together by a state-sponsored land resettlement project in the 1930s that led to a massive migration within the country. The Philippines government gave ancestral Muslim and indigenous peoples’ lands without legal documents to Christian settlers. The result was a war among the peoples that continues to rage, almost half a century later.

Melikin

King Catoy / Doc / Malaysia / 15 min

It was their native customary land until palm oil companies came and claimed it as their own. With the help of corrupt politicians, almost 10,000 hectares of forest and agricultural lands were flattened. Fences were put up, barring indigenous peoples from entering their own ancestral land. This is the story of Melikin, the story of many indigenous peoples in Sarawak. the almost sacrificial sequence of the fire.

The Last Refuge

Anne-Laure Poree, Guillaume Suon / Doc / Cambodia / 65 min

The Last Refuge follows the resistance of the Bunong people, who have been living for centuries in the hills of Eastern Cambodia, confronting alienation and annihilation by foreign companies who steal their lands, destroy their sacred forests and their traditional cemeteries in order to cultivate rubber plants.

Dancing with the Style

Xander de Boer / Doc / Netherlands/ 2012 / 17 min

Ever since primary school, Eugène has been mocked and bullied by his classmates, not only because of his unusual name but because of his love of classical dance. Dance gives the 14-year-old a sense of freedom, which is why he will never give it up. But he wants his classmates to respect him. So one day Eugène decides to take a risky step: he will show the whole class how beautiful and expressive dance can be. Will his classmates accept him in spite of his unusual hobby?

Faridullah's day off

During the war in Afghanistan, the family of 11-year-old Faridullah lost their home and for several years now has been forced to live in a refugee camp. In order to live, Faridullah and his parents borrow money from the owner of a small brick factory and then repay him by doing hard daily work. Faridullah wants to go to school but in the current situation, this seems like an impossible dream. Although he must labour every day making bricks and is subjected to frequent berating by his perpetually displeased boss, Faridullah is full of admirable energy and believes that soon everything will be better.

Layla's Melody

Layla lost her father in the war when she was just six years old. Her mother was unable to take care of all the children, so Layla was sent to an orphanage in Kabul. She misses her family terribly but at the orphanage she has found a new home. At school she can attend music classes, which she loves. But the Taliban have prohibited women from playing and listening to music. After five years of separation, Layla finally hears from her mother but she anticipates her visit with great trepidation. She's afraid the family will take her back home, marry her off and prevent her from continuing her education.

Lotte: How to Be Good

Phillis Fermer / Doc / Germany /20 min

Eleven-year-old Lotte has a plan. With the help of two friends, she wants to prepare meals for the homeless living in the centre of Cologne. They will get money to buy food by doing housework or part-time jobs in the library. Making simple sandwiches will be easy enough, but Lotte is still a bit nervous. She isn't sure if the homeless people will accept her offer or whether some of them might be drunk or aggressive. Will the trio of friends succeed in their bold plan and learn about the fates of people who end up on the street?

Ana Ana

PetrLom, Corinne van Egeraat / Doc / Netherlands / 75 min

This film by the auteur duo of Corinne van Egeraat and PetrLom presents the intimate testimony of four young Egyptian women. It is more than mere observation; the heroines of the film themselves operate the cameras, via which they reveal their inner lives. Their dreams, feelings and desires contrast with the chaotic reality of post-revolutionary Egypt. Their sensitivity and creative approach to the outside world appears not only in the stories that they tell but also in the visual depiction of their world. Egypt has experienced a major politicalchange, but the inner revolt that is playing out in the women's souls is still waiting for the right moment to transform society.

Bicitown

Sendoa Cardoso / Doc / Spain / 5 min

Bicitown is a docu/film wich protrays the life of Modou, an inmigrant now living in Bilbao (Spain). Using close ups to stay inside the character, we journey through what the center of his life is nowadays, while he speaks about what took him to Bilbao and how he faces his new life.

Complicit

Gavin Hoffman / Animation / Ireland / 5 min

A man is seeking help to come to terms with his past actions. He is haunted by what he has been a part of and opens up about the nature of his complicity. However time is running out to make things right. Complicit is a film exploring the consequences of our actions.

Hermeneutics

Alexei Dmitriev / Short / Russia / 5 min

This piece is a visual illustration of what hermeneutics is. With the cunning use of WWII footage it makes you believe that you are watching a proper war film. When you already expect the usual archive movie routine — everything changes. And you find yourself watching a completely different film.

Honor Diaries

Micah Smith / Doc / USA / 60 min

Honor Diaries traces the work of nine women’s rights advocates who came together to engage in a discourse about gender inequality and honor-based violence. Combining in-depth interviews and round-table discussions with archival footage, the film examines human rights violations in honor-based societies, and the growing trend of honor crimes in Western societies.

Last Ditch

Mahi Bena / Short / France / 20 min

The latter tells the story of Slimane, a young foreign student who is found without papers on the non-renewal of his residence permit. This story is taken from the feature film project "BOOMERANG".

Mugabe and the White African

Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson / Doc / UK / 80 min

Michael Campbell is one of the few hundred white farmers left in Zimbabwe since President Robert Mugabe began his violent 'Land Reform' program in 2000. Since then the country has descended into chaos. In 2008 Mike took the unprecedented step of challenging President Robert Mugabe in an International Court; accusing Robert Mugabe and his government of racial discrimination and violations of basic human rights. What follows is an intimate, moving and often terrifying account of one man and his family’s extraordinary courage in the face of overwhelming injustice and brutality.

Night Labor

David Redmon, Ashley Sabin / Doc / Italy / 75 min

Night Labor follows Sherman Frank Merchant, a forty-six year old Downeaster during his transition from an independent and rugged clam digger by day to manning a factory at night. With his white smock, arsenal of knives, and signature black beret, Sherman performs the tasks of preparing and arranging tools for the day laborers who arrive to their 6am shift. Night Labor is a beautifully photographed story that fuses drama and tension in the mundane sensory experiences of work, ultimately relying on cinema’s most basic powerful elements: image and sound.

Padre (Father)

Santiago Bou Grasso / Animation / Argentina / 15 min

Argentina 1983, a woman is devoting herself to the care of her sick father, a retired military commander. Her daily routine is set by the ticking of a clock which accompanies all of her tasks. As days go by, the woman withdraws more and more into her own little world, refusing to face reality.

Slavery at Sea

Environmental Justice Foundation / Doc / UK / 10 min

The movie shows the continued plight of trafficked migrants in Thailand's fishing industry. The film details testimonies of the 14 men rescued from a port in Kantang - first reported in the film “Sold to the Sea” - one year since their rescue. It also documents the story of a 21 year old individual from Myanmar who was trafficked and forced to work on a Thai fishing boat in March 2013, before eventually escaping inDecember after 10 months of unpaid work aboard the boat.

The Missing Looks

Daminan Dionisio / Short / Spain / 14 min

Argentina, 1976. Claude is forced to live with his family in hiding, due to his political ideals. The house in which they live temporarily is discovered by the militars, which will soon carry out your procedure. His wife, Teresa, worried about what your child can get to watch, she decides to paint the girl glasses wearing, to try to get as far away as possible from the horror that is about to experience. In this way, she took refuge in his fantasy world to avoid looking at the harsh reality.